Reds exploring more trades

The Reds have added a closer, a left fielder, a starting pitcher and a lefty setup man. What’s next?

Infielder…maybe.

The free agent market with infielders that can play shortstop and backup rookie Zack Cozart is rather thin. It’s thin enough that Reds GM Walt Jocketty is thinking trade rather signing someone from the open market.

“We’re still talking to a couple of clubs,” Jocketty said late Friday. “We’ll know something by next week, hopefully. I don’t think there’s a lot of guys out there free agent wise.”

Jocketty did not divulge which clubs he was chatting with.

Of the free agent shortstops, there’s only Ryan Theriot, Miguel Tejada and former Red Edgar Renteria. In recent days, ex-Red Orlando Cabrera retired and Jack Wilson signed with the Braves.

Jocketty said that there has been some interest shown to Theriot.

“We’ve talked to him, had some conversations,” Jocketty said.

Asked if he was optimistic something could get done, Jocketty responded “not today.”

*If the Reds sign nobody and don’t pull off a trade, Jocketty said he’d be comfortable going with what is already in house. That would mean Cozart and Paul Janish would be the team’s shortstops, with Cozart on the inside track to start.

*The Reds are continuing to look at adding to their depth with possible Minor League contract offers. One player they’re taking a look at, Jocketty confirmed, is pitcher Jeff Francis. The left-handed Francis, 30, was 6-16 with a 4.82 ERA in 31 starts last season with the Royals. He was with the Rockies from 2004-10 and was a 17-game winner in 2007.

Omar Vizquel is still out there as well. He has said he wants to play another season. Switch hitter that can still hit, plus he’s still very slick with the glove. Would be a great guy for Cozart to be around.

I’m hoping Jocketty is speaking with Zduriencik. I would like to see the M’s move Brandon Ryan. The M’s signed Kawasaki to a minor league deal and they have Triunfel who’s finished up AAA. The future SS is either Franklin or Miller and one of them should be ready by next year. I’m guessing Miller.

Keppinger would probably be too expensive for the Reds. (Just guessing.) Why is Frazier’s name never mentioned? Has he been written off by the team? He is a versatile player and had shown promise before being brought up…..and given little playing time. I would agree with Jocketty that if they do not get another infielder they are fine with those three around. (Still think that Paul J. would return to his ’10 form when playing as a back-up. The Reds must think so too, or they would never have retained him on the team.)

Personally, I don’t think we need anyone else. Vizquel can’t cover the ground that Janish can, and he can’t hit, so now upgrade there. JJ Hardy would be an upgrade to Janish, but who are you trading? Frazier can’t be a backup shortstop, but could he be a third guy in extreme emergency? Sure. What really concerns me is that we haven’t had the knuckleheads coming on here saying Phillips should play short. Where are you? I know you’re reading….
Curt

Problem is…we don’t know if Janish will make the team.
Jocketty is looking for a backup SS/vet. Some say Cairo
could back up SS; I don’t think so.

I suspect we’ll pick one up, possibly by trade…but who do
we trade? I for one like the idea of signing Theriot to a short
term for a few M; he was paid $3.3M last year and should sign
for a bit less. He’s available and nobody is chopping at the bit
to sign him; remember…he would be nothing more than filler.

However, with all that said…Jocketty could have signed him
weeks ago but hasn’t, so I got a feeling he is searching elsewhere
via trade. At least that’s the rumor. If so, we would have no idea
where he’s looking or what kind of trade he’s offering.

I’ll bite. Phillips is supposedly the best SS on the team. So play him there. As for CF, get Josh Hamilton back when the Rangers join the Marlins in receivership in July. Hey, where is Fielder going to wind up, or did I miss something? Is he going into spring training without a team?

I will place another vote for standing pat. We would be looking to trade for a backup not a starter so if Cozart does not make the cut as a starter we still have a whole. As a backup SS i dont think you will find much better than Janish. Not many teams have a backup SS that is a strong hitter.
I would also like to see Frazier make the team ahead of Cairo. Much more flexible in the field and has a higher upside from the plate. Cairo did grate for us for two years. I think that is as much as we can expect.

Cairo was very valuable to us the past two years but my fear is age will catch up to him. He is more limited in the field than Frazier who can also play outfield in a pinch. Frazier also has more upside at the plate than Cairo. He may not end up performing as well as Cairo but for the dollars i would hate to lose Frazier if it comes to choosing between the two of them.

How much of this overestimation of Frazier lay in the fact that some are still stuck in the feel-good Tom Rivers story of 1998? He really hasn’t shown a lot of promise, minors or his limited time, true, in the majors.

Cairo and Frazier are bench riders. They are also extremely valuable in that they play positions (backups) that are important. Also, they have been productive; especially Cairo. The guy that might not make the team, or he might depending on needs, is Janish. He’s a glove that can’t hit; often making that combination expendable. I
wouldn’t be surprised to see him wind up down-under when the season begins.

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